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Academic Essay Writing A formula to be considered. (and dismissed?)

What is provided here is apossible formula for writing academic essays. Pleaseremember there is no definitive way to write an essay; just as the Social Sciences do

not provide a definitive account of how we are in the world and what reality is. Think

of your essay as a 3-part exploration and explanation of how the social world

works, i.e., i) in theory, ii) with reference to empirical research evidence and, iii)

a critique of both of i) and ii). It is a matter of exploring the validity of various

(sometimes contradictory) perspectives on key issues. Your own style, experience and

ability might well be capable of improving on this formula, or indeed totally

disregarding it.

An essay is best approached as an intellectual argument that develops from the

ideas, issues, theories, concepts, methodologies, etc., you have been taught within

the module for which it is the final assessment. It is most important therefore

even as you begin and then progress through the module that you are clear about the

fundamental perspectives, values and assumptions underpinning the courses

main themes and topics as they are being presented to you in lectures and seminars.

Remember no theory or perspective has the whole picture. All accounts of the worldare partial and biased from a particular understanding of how we are human and what

society is. Such-and-such a view is only the case under certain conditions. A prime

purpose for an essay is to critique particular ideas, pointing out how explanation A

might be more useful and validthan B in these circumstances. In the conclusion of

your essay, on the other hand, you might want to point out that in other contexts

(social, cultural, eras, etc.) there may be other factors that need to be considered. Do

these limit or question the weight of claims you have made in the development of

your current argument?

Key questions before you embark on writing your essay.

Have you identified clearly the key issue the essay question wants scrutinised?

Have you checked the command wordin the question e.g. explain means

give details about why a certain perspective can be advocated; evaluate meansmake a critical appraisal of the worth and validity for a particular explanation

of how the world seems to work.

In the development of your main argument, will you take a particular position

that views the key issue from within a certain theoretical perspective? If so,this theory provides you with an analytical tool box - (check the different

possible ways of thinking about an issue in your course documentation). How

do these particular ways of thinking require you to view the world, especially

the nature ofrelationships between different individuals and groups? Who are

the key thinkers in this area? What evidence do they call upon to support their

theories? What predictions are there, in theory, for what you should find as an

expression of the issue in different contexts?

Maybe, though, you will take two slightly differentpositions within thisoverarching perspective (again check your lecture notes for these). Or perhaps

you will choose to tackle the question from two contrastingperspectives? Ifso, is there anything that is common for how the social world is being

understood and explained in these differing views? Plus, of course, what is

contrastingly different? Are there contextual factors (isolate them) that cause

social institutions or constructs, which are often thought of as having universalmeaning, to be experienced differently (e.g., marriage, policing, gender)? Or

are the fundamental assumptions in alternative theories about the way the

world works so radically distinct from each other that they are presenting

completely different models of reality?

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The Formula

This formula (of 8 paragraphs) assumes that your essay has a limit of 1700-2000

words. For longer assignments the breakdown of sections is similar, but scaled up for

the number of paragraphs you feel you need to realise each part.

Para 1 Introduction

Main Text: Paras 2 and 3 Theoreticaloverview andgeneralcomments relevant to

the perspective you are going to employ in the following section

Paras 4 and 5 Discuss in closer detail, possibly including the use of empirical dataand case studies, how the perspective(s) discussed in Paras 2 & 3 help to examine the

key issues raised in the title of the essay as they are experienced in specific contexts

Paras 6 and 7 Critique the argumentyou have just made, including a discussion ofthe limits and constraints of the claims the theory and supporting evidence can

provide. Are you going to offer an alternative view (with supporting evidence) or are

you going to speculate on how the existing perspective needs to be refined? Sum up toa closing position.

Para 8 Conclusion.

Introductions

A useful way to open your essay is to consider some, or all, of the following,

1. rewrite, and expand on, the essay title using your own differentwords (this

helps you to identify the essential CLAIM/ASSERTION in the question and

provides an easy to read opening to the essay)2. PROBLEMATIZE the whole or parts of the question (is there an element of

the question which can be contested?)

3. CONTEXTUALIZE the main issue (how have these issues/concerns come

about, and in what circumstances?)

4. suggest a PERSPECTIVE(S) you have selected as being of possible use for

framing the argument you are going to develop in the main section, (i.e., what

theoretical approach(es) are you taking, and as a result what concepts and

analytical tools are available for you to examine reality check your module

notes for these)

5. possibly (especially in a longer essay) you might even SUMMARISE the

argument you intend to make6. you can even HINT AT THE CONCLUSIONS you will reach. (Introductions

are thought about early on in the essay writing process, but usually written

afterwards.)

Main Text (paras 2 and 3)

Identify, using properly attributed references, the key thinking of the named

authorities and researchers you are using to problematize matters relevant to the essay

title. What does this offer as a general frame for how to examine the key issues in

further detail? What theoretical and predictive implications are there for how you

might be able to analyse real world experiences and explain the social reality(ies)

related to the given problem. What factors, relationships, structures, causations,

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consequences, etc., might be looked for to understand matters better? In other words,

how does a key theory(ies) set up a view of the problem?

(paras 4 and 5) Become more specific by referring to empirical case studies or

evidence that examines, in particular detail, real world examples of the main issue you

are dealing with (or aspects thereof). Is it possible to find two effective pieces of

research-based literature (usually referenced journal articles) that give, either,

contrasting interpretations of the problem within your chosen perspective, or perhaps

provide a different treatment of the same issue from an alternative theoretical

perspective. Either approach helps you to clarify why it is difficult to pin down your

problem to a definitive solution. Describe the key factors in play.

(paras 6 and 7) Bring the different strands of your argument together by returning to

the opening question, without answering it yet. Find your own voice here to advocate

what you feel have been the useful insights provided by your analysis of the main

issue, together with a critique of the inevitable shortcomings of both the general

perspective you have employed and the complicating contextual conditions in the

more detailed case studies (which have highlighted the difficulties of applying theory

to real world). Do you want to suggest any alternative interpretations or models forhow the world might work? If so briefly discuss their potential.

Conclusion

Now answer the question set, if only by further problematizing it, or offering a

possible alternative from how the issue in the question might be better approached. A

good conclusion can usually be read as a brief summary of the whole essay. So state

concisely What was the original problem? How have you explored it? What have

we learned from this exercise?

As a result of your study are there useful comments to be made about the important

relationships, change processes, structures, agency, power, control mechanisms,

possible causations, paradigms shifts (new ways of thinking that might reframe the

problem) that have emerged as possibly significant to the main question? Are there

insights orbroader implications for how your argument can help someone else

examine similar or related issues in other social situations and circumstances

(different cultures, places, age cohorts, time, understanding of gender, etc.) Are there

any factors which are limiting the broader validity and relevance of your argument?

You might finish by pointing out the positive contribution of your essay, e.g. policy or

practice consequences. Or do you want to suggest a new (unanswered) take on theproblem that might put issues into a better focus, maybe through identifying

problematic areas which require further research or theoretical analysis.